Combination play table and support



Feb. 13, 1951 H. POLLACK ET AL 2,541,664

COMBINATION PLAY TABLE AND SUPPORT Filed Dec. 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR S HYMAN POLLA CK DA VID BRAND ATTORNEY 13, 1951 H. POLLACK Em 2541,664

COMBINATION PLAY TABLE AND SUPPORT Filed Dec. 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS HYMAN POLLACK DA v10 BFMN ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 13, 1951COMBINATION PLAY TABLE ANDSUPPORT Hyman Pollack, Brooklyn, andDavidBrand, Bronx, N. Y;

Application December 17, 1948, Serial No. 65,950

Claims.

This invention relates to a combination, play table andsupport, moreparticularly to a device containing a pivotally mounted. top having playelements thereon and adapted to support a chest of drawers, highchair,vanity table or the like.

It is primarily within the contemplation of our invention to provide astructure of the c1assde scribedwhich is adapted for use as anindependent play device for a child, and which can also serve co-supportjuvenile appurtenances. And in this aspect of our invention it is afurther object to enable the. table portion to be readily manipulatedinto various positions, such as a horizontal position for writing,eating, or the playing of games, an inclined position where the devicemay serve as a blackboard or for disposing a suitably supported abacuswithin convenient reach, and in such other horizontal position where thetable will not interfere with the supporting function of the structure.

It is also within our contemplation to provide a device of theabove-mentioned category with horizontal supporting members or railswhich will slidably receive thereon a structure such as a chest ofdrawers or the like, without contacting the pivotal table, whereby thelatter will-be completely relieved of any load. And it: is also anobject to permit said rails to serve as stops for limiting the rearwardslidingmovement of the superimposed structure.

And it is a further object of our invention to provide a device havingthe aforesaid features and which will be simple and inexpensive tofabricate.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings andthe description hereinafter given.

Referring. to the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of our invention, showing the understructuresupporting a vanity.

Figure 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. with the vanity piec removed.

Figure i is an enlarged fragmentary side view of Fig. 1.

Figurev 5 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 4 taken along line 55. I

Figure 6 is aview substantially like Fig. 5 but with retractable pin indisengaged position.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the understructure portion of ourinvention, with the underside or play portion of the table upwardlydisposed.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of our invention, with the table in aninclined position.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sidevi'ew of Fig. 8, and

Figure 10 is an enlarged? fragmentary plan view of Fig. 8, a fragmentbeing broken away for clarity.

In the preferred" embodiment of our invention illustrated, the twolateral supports Iiiand H' are formed" of tubular inverted U-shapedelements each comprisinga front leg t2, rear leg l3 and upperconnec'tingbar i i. ihe two saidfrontlegs i?" have the space therebetweencompletely unobstructedtoprovide-leg room for a child seated at thefront of the device"; but the rear-legs I3 are connected byan" invertedU-shaped brace I 5 containing substantially verticallegs H soldered orotherwise secured-torear legs l3, and an upper connecting portion (3.The upper portions of the supports it and it have secured thereto, alongtheir inner surfaces, the two tubular supporting rails 19, thesebeingdisposed below'the level of theconnecting bars it: of members: l0 andIt, but above the connecting portion 58' of the brace I5 t will furtherbeobserved that' -the forward portion 29 of the two rails i9. extendforwardly beyond the front legs I2.

Pivotally mounted'upon. and between. the two supporting rails iii-is thetable 2 i,..tlie.pivotal.connections comprising pins 22. extending;through the rails I9 and into the sides 23 of: the table. t will be.observed: by referring: to Fig. 4i that the said pins aredisposedcloser. to the surface 2 (shownasthetop surface). than'toundersurface 25, whereby said surfaceM-I is disposedbelow the uppermostsurfaces. 26 of the; rails iii when the table is in theposition-'showninsaid Figs. 1 andl5.

Side 25. is,.in the embodiment. disclosed, provided with a blackboard:portionillandan abacus 23 which protrudes beyond the said side 25. Whenthe table: is pivotally; rotated to the position showndn Fig. 8, whereit can be used either asa blackboard or for the purpose of using theabacus, it may be fixedly maintainedin said position by inserting thekey 2%, suspended by a chain 3B from one of the rails 59, through thehole 3| and the corresponding hole 32 in a lateral. edge of. the table.It is, of course, obvious that said hole 32 is in spaced relation to thepivotalpoint 22. When it is desired to return the table toits normaloperative position as shown in Fig. 1, the pin 33, slidably disposedwithin one of the rails I9, is. retracted against the action of spring34, andthe table rotated until it is in the proper horizontal position,whereupon the pin is released to permit it to enter the correspondinghole 35 in the adjacent iateral edge of they table. In this manner thetable is heldlocked against displacement.

If it is desired to superimpose aistructurasuch functions.

as the vanity table 36, upon the device, all that need be done is toelevate the said vanity table to the level of tracks I9, and then placeit upon such tracks, slidably moving it rearwardly until the downwardlyextending stops 3'! engage the forward portions 28 of the rails H-l. Aswill be seen from Fig. l, the protruding portions of the table 2!, suchas the abacus 28, are disposed on the underside thereof. The vanitytable 36 rests only on the rails l9, inasmuch as there is a space 38between the flat underside of vanity table 36 and upper surface 25. Andinasmuch as the foremost portions 2i) of the rails 19 are disposedforwardly of the front edge 39 of table 2|, there is no contactwhatsoever between any portion of vanity table 36 and table 2|.

It is thus apparent that the device above described is capable ofconveniently serving several The table 2| can be readily manipulated sothat it may serve either as an ordinary table for a child, as ablackboard or a play table, and can be firmly maintained in variouspositions. And when it is desired that the structure serve to support asuperimposed member, that can be readily effectuated without imposingany load on the table proper 2i. Furthermore, not only can a supportedmember such as the vanity table 36 be conveniently slid into place, butit can also be maintained against rearward displacement by virtue of theforwardly protruding disposition of portions '28 of the rails, andagainst lateral displacement by virtue of the fact that the connectingbars 14 of supports it and ll, being disposed above rails l9, serve aslateral guides.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by wayof example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations andmodifications may be made therein which will still be comprised withinits spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is notlimited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, exceptinsofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A combination play table and support comprising two front and tworear legs, two parallel rails each secured to interiorly disposedconfronting surfaces of a pair of front and rear legs, and a tablepivotally mounted upon and between said rails, one surface of the tablewhen in its upwardly disposed horizontal position being below theuppermost level of said rails, whereby :aid rails are adapted to supporta superimposed structure in spaced relation to said table.

2. A combination play table and support according to claim 1, thepivotal mounting for the table being closer to the said surface thereofthan to the opposite surface of the table.

3. A combination play table and support according to claim 1, furtherprovided with two lateral parallel bars extending between said front andrear legs, said bars being disposed above and laterally adjacent saidrails, whereby said bars are adapted to hold against lateral movement asuperimposed structure by said rails.

4. A combination play table and support according to claim 1, said railsextending forwardly beyond said front legs.

5. A combination play table and support according to claim 1, furtherprovided with a releasable locking member supported by one of said railsand engageable with the table for holding it against movement.

6. A combination play table and support comprising two lateral supportseach formed of an inverted U-shaped member having a front leg, a rearleg and an upper connecting bar, two parallel rails secured tointeriorly disposed confronting surfaces of said two supports anddisposed below said connecting bars, a table pivotally mounted upon andbetween said rails, an inverted U- shaped brace connecting the rearlegs, said brace having an upper connecting portion disposed below saidrails, the said front legs having an unobstructed space therebetween,and releasable locking means supported by one of said rails andengageable with the table for holding it against movement, one surfaceof the table when in its upwardly disposed horizontal position beingbelow the uppermost level of said rails,

whereby said rails are adapted to support a superimposed structure inspaced relation to said table.

'7. A combination play table and support comprising two lateral supportseach formed of an inverted U-shaped member having a front leg, a rearleg and an upper connecting bar, two parallel rails secured tointeriorly disposed confronting surfaces of said two supports anddisposed below said connecting bars, a table pivotally mounted upon andbetween said rails, an inverted U -shaped brace connecting the rearlegs, said brace having an upper connecting portion disposed below saidrails, the said front legs having an unobstructed space therebetween,and releasable locking means supported by one of said rails andengageable with the table for holding it against movement, said lockingmeans comprising an apertured portion in one of said rails, an openingin the adjacent edge of the table disposed for registry with saidapertured portions, and a retractable elongated element extendingthrough said apertured portion and opening when they are operatively inregistry.

' 8. A combination play table and support comprising two lateralsupports each formed of an inverted U-shaped member having a front leg,a rear leg and an upper connecting bar, two parallel rails each securedto interiorly disposed confronting surfaces of said two supports anddisposed below said connecting bars, a table pivotally mounted upon andbetween said rails, said table being revolvable for inclined positioningand horizontal positioning with both opposite sides of the table adaptedto be upwardly disposed, one of said surfaces being flat andunobstructed, the opposite surface having a flat portion and containinga protruding play element, the said unobstructed surface of the tablewhen in its upwardly disposed horizontal position being below theuppermost level of said rails, whereby said rails are adapted to supporta superimposed structure in spaced relation to said table.

9. A convertible article of furniture comprising an understructure and asuperstructure supported thereby, the understructure comprising twolateral supports each formed of an inverted U- shaped member having afront leg, a rear leg and an upper connecting bar, two parallel railseach secured to interiorly disposed confronting surfaces of said twosupports and disposed below said connecting bars, a table pivotallymounted upon and between said rails, one surface of the table when inits upwardly disposed horizontal position being below the uppermostlevel of said rails, said rails extending forwardly beyond said frontlegs and the front edge of the table; the supergageable with the forwardend of said rails, 10

whereby the superstructure is out of engagement with said table.

HYMAN POLLACK. DAVID BRAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 144,424 Tufts Nov. 11, 1873525,979 Fitzgerald Sept. 11, 1894 1,618,922 Gardner Feb. 22, 19272,312,636 Froelich Mar. 2, 1943 2,435,290 Scharaga Feb. 3, 1948

